1. Field of the Invention
The invention is a reflective, magneto-optic spatial light modulator (MOSLM.TM.) assembly that protects an electrically addressable chip, which is formed from a structurally fragile magneto-optic material, against damage resulting from excessive mechanical shock and temperature excursions.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent developments in magneto-optic display assemblies now provide a two-dimensional array of electronically programmable light shutters or valves that can be used to enter information into data processing systems, such as optical correlators, at very high rates. (For an example of one magneto-optic display assembly, see William E. Ross' U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,983 which is assigned to the same assignee.) Coherent, polarized light is used for information processing and can either pass through or be reflected by these magneto-optic light valves where the light is rotated and analyzed in accordance with either the Faraday or the Kerr effects, respectively.
These electrically addressable, such as by coincident current select, magneto-optic light valves are sometimes also identified as a spatial light modulator (SLM) chip. One such SLM chip known in the industry as a LIGHT-MOD.TM. chip is available from the Data Systems Division of Litton Systems, Inc. at Agoura Hills, Calif. This LIGHT-MOD chip has at its heart a magneto-optic active area having a square side dimension of 0.128 inch (0.325 centimeter) that is structured into a plurality of individual mesas or pixels which are arranged in a 128.times.128 array. This array is electrically addressable through the use of complementary X- and Y-address conductors so that selected and non-selected pixels function as light valves having visually different and distinct illumination characteristics.
Physically, the SLM chip is an electromagnetic device. The SLM chip is temperature dependent since it loses desirable electromagnetic functions when the chip temperature reaches the Curie point of the particular magneto-optic material which forms the chip. Further, like all semiconductor wafer materials, the magneto-optic chip exhibits extreme fragility. Therefore, the chip can be subject to unwanted cracking or fracturing, even physical shattering, under adverse mechanical forces and resultant deformations affected upon at least the chip.